Events
VCU's Transforming Accessibility Initiative is currently planning our upcoming slate of events for the 2022/2023 academic year. We will update this page as soon as we have new information to share.
If you are hosting or planning an event and would be interested in partnering with us, please contact us at TAI@vcu.edu.
VCU's Transforming Accessibility Initiative and the Postsecondary Disability Training Institute Presents:
The New Professional Institute
Previous Events
VCU's Transforming Accessibility Initiative Presents:
Student Mental Health
Understanding the Trends and Resources
The Transforming Accessibility Initiative at Virginia Commonwealth University
and The Collaborative on Postsecondary Education and Disability
at the University of Connecticut Co-Present:
Post-secondary Disability Training Institute Virtual (PTI-V)
The Collaborative on Postsecondary Education at the University of Connecticut and the Transforming Accessibility Initiative at Virginia Commonwealth University are happy to present a virtual event: PTI-V: Free, a two-day event that will focus on disability services in the age of COVID-19. We know that traveling is a challenge and that budgets for professional development are tight, and we would like to thank you for your support of PTI over the years with this free event.
Dates: June 2 & 3, 2021
Day 1 – Wednesday, June 2
12:00 pm – 12:50 pm: "Has COVID Changed the Legal Landscape? (L. Scott Lisner – Ohio State University)
1:00 pm – 1:50 pm: "Practical ICT Accessibility Strategies in the age of COVID" (Korey Singleton, George Mason University)
2:00 – 2:50 pm: "The Changing Face of Disability/Accessibility Supports and Services" (Ian Kunkes – Virginia Commonwealth University)
3:00 – 3:50 pm: Disability Service/ADA Professional Panel
Day 2 – Thursday, June 3
12:00 pm – 12:50 pm: "Accidental UDL: How COVID was the Impetus for UDL Adoption" (Kirsten Behling – Tufts)
1:00 – 1:50 pm: "Promoting Self-Determination and Wellbeing in an Anxious Time (David Parker – Children's Resource Group)
2:00 – 2:50 pm: Student Panel (Moderated by Emily Tarconish – University of Connecticut)
When Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Where Altria Theatre
Event Schedule
9 a.m. - Check-in and book signing with Temple Grandin
10 a.m. - Temple Grandin
11:15 a.m. - "Making Access Real" - Panel Discussion with VCU students, employees, and alumni.
12:15 p.m. - Champions of Accessibility Awards Ceremony
1 p.m. - Book signing with Temple Grandin
The Transforming Accessibility Initiative presented our second annual Fall Conference. The event, which was free and open to the public, included a keynote address by world-renowned Autism advocate and animal scientist, Temple Grandin. The event also included a panel discussion featuring current and former VCU students, and the second annual Champions of Accessibility Awards. Several hundred attendees were able to meet and have books signed by Dr. Grandin.
TAI partnered with STS@VCU for its annual lecture series. For the 2019-2020 year, the focus was on disability.
September 12, 2019
George Estreich (poet and writer)
October 22, 2019
Jai Virdi (historian of science, medicine, and technology)
November 11, 2019
Ann Fox (literary scholar of AIDS, theatre, and graphic medicine)
The Transforming Accessibility Initiative partnered with the College of Humanities and Sciences, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Committee (IDEC) for their 2018-2019 Dialogue Series. In addition to assisting with ensuring all of the events in this series were accessible and inclusive, TAI helped shape the theme of the event to focus on disability and assisted in recruiting speakers and participants.
In 2019, The Transforming Accessibility Initiative took over the Office of Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity's annual Spring Mini-Conference. In keeping with the original design of the program, a series of events were planned to provide the VCU community with insights and training around current topics in disability supports and campus accessibility.
Date: Monday, February 18, 2019
Schedule:
Creating an Inclusive and Accessible Classroom – Part 1: Ian Kunkes and Isabelle Richman
Creating an Inclusive and Accessible Classroom – Part 2: Panel Discussion
Disability and Intersectionality: Transforming Our Movement: Bee Coston
Accessibility in the Age of Social Media: Erika Forsack
Welcome: Michael Rao, President, Virginia Commonwealth University and VCU Health System
Keynote: "You Kinda Just Do It" - Matthew Shapiro, VCU Class of 2013, CEO - 6 Wheels Consulting, L.L.C.
Breakout Sessions:
Track I: Faculty Research and Innovation Panel
Track II: Student Live and Learn Panel
Featured Speaker: "Promoting a Culture of Accessibility: What does it really mean and why should I care?" - Dr. Manju Banerjee, Vice President and Director, Landmark College Institute for Research and Training
Champions of Accessibility Awards